10/18/07 measurements

How is it that my quads barely grow before going back down a cm?!

It doesn't help that I recently tweaked my right knee - all I can do is keep vigilant of my knee while still doing what I can to continue my aerobic and anaerobic training.

10/18/07
QUADS: 56 CM (back down to 56cm -bleh!)
CALVES: 37 CM
HELMET:55-59 cm
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10/11/07
QUADS: 57 CM (Yay, 1 cm growth)
CALVES: 38 CM (1 cm growth)
HELMET:55-59 cm

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10/06/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 cm

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9/25/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 cm

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9/20/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 56 CM
CALVES: 37 CM
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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9/13/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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9/06/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 54 CM (damn it, down 2 cm!! arghh!)
CALVES: 37 CM (up 1 cm...hmmm)
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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8/29/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 56 CM
HELMET: 55-59 CM: 36 CM

Tai Chi and Heart Rate Training

Today I did my first Tai Chi session. Admittedly, it was quite slow for someone who enjoys throwing punches and kicks and breaking out in a serious sweat. However, I did find my limbs getting looser as the class progressed. The instructor said that, if we did the class consistently, we would find ourselves becoming more flexible whenever we took a spill (a definite plus for someone whose already crashed her bike 3 times in 13 months). So, I think I'll continue doing the Friday Tai Chi lunch sessions.

On another note, Wednesday's spin class required that we pick a target heart rate and then drop our heart rates lower and lower after each hr increase segment. My target hr was 170 and I was able to reach it (or surpass it) all 5 times. The first time I was supposed to bring my hr down, it went down to 128 within 2 minutes. However, each time I tried to return to a lower hr after that, I just couldn't do it: 133, 135, 133, and 129. Aaaaghhhhhhhh!!! I hate that I can't recover more quickly. This is something I'm going to have to work on A LOT!

Measurements & Training Notes

I wanted to upload calve & quad pics but the blogger is having "issues" uploading pics. Bleh! Maybe I'll try later.

I'm very happy to say that my quads and my calves grew 1 cm (see below). I attribute this to the fact that I've been hitting the gym more often: pilates, yoga, cardio kickboxing, spin, weights and, as of Tuesday night, ballet core work.

I had a free session with a personal trainer. She asked me what I wanted to focus on and I, of course, said leg strength (for cycling purposes) and upper body strength (for vanity purposes b/c I think defined arms on men or women is so damn hot). Oh yeah, I think I also mentioned that I wanted to get my ass kicked in the weight room. Man, she had no problem kicking my ass all over the friggin' room. We (or, I should say I) did some fun but hard exercises using a ladder laid out on the floor and a fitness ball and some weights.

Thank goodness I bought a foam roller. Looks like I'll be using it every night if this training regiment keeps up.

10/11/07
QUADS: 57 CM (Yay, 1 cm growth)
CALVES: 38 CM (1 cm growth)
HELMET:55-59 cm

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10/06/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 cm

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9/25/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 cm

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9/20/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 56 CM
CALVES: 37 CM
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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9/13/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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9/06/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 54 CM (damn it, down 2 cm!! arghh!)
CALVES: 37 CM (up 1 cm...hmmm)
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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8/29/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 56 CM
HELMET: 55-59 CM: 36 CM

10/06/07 Quads Check In

10/06/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 cm

I've started doing weights twice a week so hopefully the leg work I'm now doing with weights will help me increase my quads.

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9/25/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 cm

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9/20/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 56 CM
CALVES: 37 CM
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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9/13/07
QUADS: 56 cm
CALVES: 37 cm
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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9/06/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 54 CM (damn it, down 2 cm!! arghh!)
CALVES: 37 CM (up 1 cm...hmmm)
HELMET: 55-59 CM

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8/29/07: Thursday p.m.
QUADS: 56 CM
HELMET: 55-59 CM: 36 CM